Problems at Magdalen College School?

It seems Magdelen College School has just lost another Head of their Junior School. 3 in 3 years now. Does anyone know what the problem is? It seems the new appointment was made without advertising or a competition and that a prime qualification is considered to be that his father was Head of a prep school!

From what I gather the appointment of a new Junior School Head at Magdalen College School has been hugely welcomed... and the JS parents are delighted. In fact there has been a mass email all round welcoming the decision.. he was previously Head of the Middle School where the past few years of GCSE results have been the best ever recorded by a school.. the word is that he has been thinking about moving to head up a Prep School for some time now - don't think this appointment has anything to do with what his dad did!!!! Think he will be nothing but good for Junior School.. senior school parents are all v impressed with him...

I heard that 8 out of the 40 boys in Year 6 didn't get places at the Senior School this year, and some of those families hadn't been warned this was likely. I imagine this made the Head of Junior School feel in an impossible position. The previous resignation also happened following the entrance tests for the senior school. Here are some relevant items from the school website: http://www.mcsoxford.org/resource.aspx?id=3095 (section 4, point five)http://www.mcsoxford.org/resource.aspx.pdf?id=2901

Oxfordwoman I think those numbers are wrong. Not sure where that rumour started, but friends kids are in yr 6 so I know that's incorrect. Also the school always discusses options with parents. The new appointment is fantastic for the junior school, the new head (from this sept) is a fantastic teacher with pastoral care to match. The school certainly know what they are looking for for the senior school and from what I have heard they are honest with the parents. The pace at the senior school is fast and wouldn't suit everyone. No surprise the present head is leaving was a strange appointment.

Back onto MCS, am curious to hear from current parents there of their inside views as have seen somewhere else on this board it being described as a "hothothothouse"....how does that manifest itself ? Do they ask boys to leave if they think they are not going to make the grade? Have heard of odd one leaving of their own volition because they thought it was too much of a hothouse....I don't have a lot of direct experience of the school but the one boy I know who got a scholarship there was intensely tutored for it.I imagine it needs a lot of parental involvement.

Have friends there y6 and y8. MCS have just stopped issuing holiday homework I believe due to parental requests. Lots of stress for the senior school exam this weekend.My ds is at another prep attached to a senior school, and they are definitely "weeding out". Have been since y4 apparently.